A grand opening ceremony was held Wednesday for Bright A Days Pediatric Mental Health Urgent Care, the first walk-in center in upstate and western New York dedicated solely to pediatric mental health care..
The facility is expected to begin accepting patients on July 15, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Brighter Days Foundation.
Local leaders hope the move will significantly alleviate the mental health crisis being experienced by children in the region, which mirrors a national trend.
“There are no clinics like this outside of New York City, and we are thrilled to be able to provide this important service to thousands of children across Western New York,” said Michael Scharf, M.D., Psychiatrist-in-Chief at GCH. “Everything we do at the clinic is family-centered, with the goal of providing fast, safe mental health care so children don’t have to go to the emergency room or endure long wait times for outpatient care.”
The center will serve walk-in patients every day from noon to 7 p.m., and Scharf expects Bright Days to see up to 3,000 patients a year.
The clinic’s 15 patient rooms will be staffed with 30 caregivers, including mental health counselors, social workers, nurses, psychologists, case managers and support staff.
Additionally, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester held a grand opening ceremony for their newly renovated Ronald McDonald Family Room, which will be operated in partnership with Brighter Days Children’s Mental Health Urgent Care Center.
The newly renovated room will offer a variety of activities and support services aimed at reducing the stress, loneliness and financial burden associated with pediatric mental health issues, with all services provided at no cost to families.
The renovated Family Room was built with funding from local donors and foundations in memory of Patrick Brophy, MD, who served as attending physician at Golisano Children’s Hospital from 2018 to 2023 and was a collaborator and friend of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester.
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